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Style Scouting: Vol. 211

ByDiane Henkler

Thanks for stopping by for this week’s Style Scouting. My Sunday post where I share the random stuff that captured my attention or inspired me that I found online.

a dreamy and cozy walk in pantry
photo: Blooming Ivy

It’s OFFICIAL…. Happy 1st day of FALL!!! Yippeeee!

It is still hot here, but I am enjoying the parts of the season I can until the autumn chill sings through the air. Like buying a pumpkin for the front steps of the house, lighting candles at night and making the house have a cozy vibe.

I will have to wait a few more weeks, but am looking forward to being able to wear cozy tops and pants again and putting my summer clothes away. :-)

And speaking of a chill in the air, two weeks ago we noticed our 10 year old Frigidaire refrigerator that came with the house when we bought it wasn’t getting as cold as it should. After programming it multiple times to set the right temp, it kept getting warmer.

Hmmm…. then a few nights later in the middle of the night when the temperature sensor alarm woke us from our sleep we noticed that the lights were not going off when the fridge doors were closed as we could see a tiny sliver of light spilling out from a small bottom section between the doors.

We found that the heat from the lightbulbs in the fridge staying on made the inside of the fridge very warm. So warm in fact that the inside casing around the light bulbs was melting and dripping. We removed the lightbulbs and within a few hours the fridge temp returned to normal. Time to call a fridge repairman.

Appliance guy came and told us it would be cheaper to buy a new fridge as the light sensor was shot and expensive to fix.

For now the fridge is cold, but dark. As exciting as it is to get something new, I haven’t bought a refrigerator in a long time. I have been doing some research and was thinking of getting a counter depth model since the one we have is huge for our small kitchen.

I could use your help. Does anyone have any fridge recommendations? Since it will be a big purchase I want to make sure I get a good one. Do you have a counter depth refrigerator and like it? How about easy to clean stainless or the glass front models? There are so many choices. I would love to hear your fridge experiences. Thanks in advance.

Now onto the links and ideas I found this week to share with youi.

Posts You May Have Missed This Week:

Decorating

This home is grand in scale, but the design was intentional in making it feel intimate and grounded. I think they succeeded. (open in same tab)

This secluded farmhouse combines classic country character with modern day amenities. (open in same tab)

I am taking notes…. would love a pantry like this! (open in same tab)

Where to put the TV? Here are some great ideas. (open in same tab)

I wish I had a space to create one of these in my home. (open in same tab)

DIY

These DIY coffee filter flowers are the prettiest I have ever seen… and easy. (open in same tab)

How to transform a dark fireplace. (open in same tab)

I am going to do this to the window shades in my bedroom. (open in same tab)

When you want to paint a room in a unique way, consider doing this wall painting technique. It would be fun in a kids room. (open in same tab)

Food

What a cute and spooky Halloween sandwich. (open in same tab)

Move over apple cider donuts, there is a new fall recipe in town. (open in same tab)

This yummy snack! To serve at your next gathering or to take to a party. (open in same tab)

Out & About

One more good thing to know about why travel and vacations are a good thing. (open in same tab)

Have you seen the newest KitchenAid Stand Mixer? It is pricey, but sure would look nice on any counter, especially in a kitchen decorated for fall. (open in same tab)

I am looking forward to seeing this movie. (open in same tab)

Fashion & Beauty

Just got this quilted mock neck. Now I just have to wait for the weather to get cooler. (open in same tab)

Fun & Interesting

Seeing these images of Ai decorated rooms is pretty amazing. Great when you want to see your vision before having to buy anything. (open in same tab)

Something to Think About

How to Connect to Your Intuition. (open in same tab)

“Home is what you take with you, not what you leave behind.” – Unknown

Oh… So Stylish Finds

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If you enjoy these posts – You can find past Style Scouting posts here.

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24 Comments

  1. I have bought counter-depth for my last two kitchen remodels. They look so much better, like built-ins.

    Reply

  2. I can’t offer advice on a counter-depth fridge – would love one myself! I can say that my Kenmore Elite with a freezer on the bottom and a single door up top is great. Having said that, it’s stainless and when I need a new one, I’m reverting back to white – every fingerprint shows!

    Reply
  3. valarie sanford says:

    For sure do NOT get a Samsung french door if you want the ice machine to work. The rest of it is great but youtube is littered with diys to fix it. Look for an American made product.

    Reply

  4. We have had a counter depth Kitchen Aid that has given us good service for twenty two years.

    Reply

  5. Great post. When I remodeled my small condo kitchen, my contractor stressed that if I wanted the look I was going for, get a counter depth. This was a few years ago, I love it, french doors, and a remarkably generous freezer. I wouldn’t change a thing, this was the GE Profile line. I’m sure models have changed. However, when I reloaded the fridge, it does lack a lot of room and of course the shelves are not as deep. I ended up buying a small, apartment size refrigerator that is in my garage. Great for the extra groceries for parties, and I keep all my water, soda’s etc in that fridge. Hope this helps…another friend remodeled and purchased a counter depth from Thermador…

    Reply

  6. I can’t say enough terrible things about the LG counter depth fridge that we junked at the 3 year mark. It was self destructing faster than they could get parts for it. We bought a GE side by side with the icemaker in the freezer where it belongs but has water and ice through the freezer door,
    and have been trouble free for 8 years. The repairmen that worked on the LG said that parts for LG and Samsung took forever to get, which we found out the hard way.

    Reply

  7. I can’t say enough terrible things about the LG counter depth fridge that we junked at the 3 year mark. It was self destructing faster than they could get parts for it. We bought a GE side by side with the icemaker in the freezer where it belongs and have been trouble free for 8 years. The repairmen that worked on the LG said that parts for LG and Samsung took forever to get, which we found out the hard way.

    Reply

  8. Diane, it’s been an appliance conspiracy here. In the last month I have had to purchase a new fridge, a washer and a dryer. One of the burners isn’t working on the stove and the extra fridge in the cellar keeps icing over.
    I purchased an LG fridge and love it.

    But here’s my real tip: go to the appliance store and find what you like. Then go to Costco.com and buy it. Not only was it way cheaper, but delivery, install and removal of the old appliance was included in the price. Two appliance stores here would remove the old fridge for an additional $150. Even if you have to get a membership you will save money. My fridge was $900 less than the store. Good luck!

    Reply

  9. Diane,

    We love our GE Profile French Door counter depth. Only thing the compressor takes up room at the bottom so our storage is goofy with a slanted drawer at the bottom. With just two of us it works well. Being in MN at holiday time I take advantage of the garage if I need some extra space short term.

    When we downsized earlier this year I reordered the entire Profile kitchen to replace existing appliances that were old. We love them!
    My brother is a Master plumber and told us to stay away from LG. He often has dealt with flooring damage from leaking.

    Reply

  10. I have had 3 counter depth refrigerators. Love them, but first one was Samsung—-nothing but trouble! Currently have GE Cafe series. Love it. Especially the beverage drawer 👍. Empty nesters. But we do have a second fridge in basement for extra storage when all kids and families are here or parties. But last house didn’t have extra fridge and we managed fine. Would definitely recommend counter depth

    Reply

  11. We have a counter-depth Bosch that is 6 years old and so far, it has been great. The counter-depth definitely makes a big difference. By the way, I always love your Sunday emails and your wonderfully creative ideas! Thanks so much!

    Reply

  12. When I got my first fridge, the salesman told me it was counter depth. It was not and stuck out, but I kept it. When I renovated my kitchen, I got “true” counter depth Fisher & Paykal only 26″ deep and I love it. No water in the door to worry about leaks. It’s plenty big for one person and more than likely for two. If you have a big family or live far from a store, you may need a bigger one, but not for one or two people, even when you have company.
    Good luck!.

    Reply

  13. I agree with others on staying away from Samsung. It was impossible to find a company that would even come out and look at it, let alone work on it. And I live in a big metropolitan area with a lot of companies to choose from. No one would work on it. I’ve been very pleased with my black stainless steel Kitchenaid french door fridge. Although the new (again) white ones look wonderful. I’m also happy that is doesn’t have the ice and water on the outside. There’s a little water tap on the inside for nice, cold water and I got a great little ice scoop that I keep in the ice tray down in the freezer. Never have missed the ice and water through the door and so much neater looking.

    Reply

  14. I can tell you what not to buy: a Samsung. They make great TVs but not appliances. Also, we bought dark stainless steel which I’ll never do again. It scratches and shows every fingerprint.

    Reply
  15. Christy H says:

    I have a counter depth refrigerator and love it but it does not hold quite as much as a traditional frig. There are only two of us so it’s not a problem except maybe during the holidays when the kids are home or we have company. We do have a frig in our bar area in the basement that can hold the overflow. If I were to need to buy another refrigerator today, I would definitely buy a counter depth one. It does help if you have a small kitchen like I do. I have a french door configuration and I love it. When you are short, it helps so much to have the freezer on the bottom. And mine is white. It looks so clean and crisp in my kitchen and again, if I had to buy a new one today, I would buy another white one.

    Reply

  16. We recently bought a small fridge (for beverages) for my hubby’s man cave & I chose a retro style fridge in white because that colour was on sale. Turns out, we love the white! It makes me miss our old dependable white fridge that I thought looked dated because people were switching to stainless. Now I know to go with something that I like, forget the trends. Our stainless steel fridge in our kitchen always shows fingerprints. Since we are empty nesters, a counter depth fridge is perfect for our needs. So be sure to also check out some cool retro style fridges (or even Smeg) that may bring charm to your kitchen, instead of modern stainless steel (boring, like everyone else). Stainless does not look great in our cottage style home. Lesson learned!

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  17. I find that our “stainless” steel fridge almost always looks stained. Water drips from the water dispenser show clearly under the water/ice dispenser, fingerprints, smudges, etc. — always feel as if I need to wipe it down.

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  18. Hi Diane
    I agree with Ceil…no Samsung appliances. TV’s are good but not their appliances. We just bought a new washer and dryer and they don’t even carry any Samsung. Honestly I don’t think they make appliances to last. We have a Kenmore that we’ve had for 15 years 🤞

    Reply

  19. My recent new refrigerator purchase: I shopped in person and my first request was NO ice maker on the front of fridge door. Unattractive, always break, not necessary to have. Also the fridge with the low freezer drawer as your freezer, not user friendly to us older folks with fragile backs. I never have problems with fingerprints etc.on stainless steel finish. Enjoy your next new fridge!

    Reply
  20. Peggy Schomaker says:

    I have not bought a refrigerator in quite some time either. Susan, the author of ” Between Naps on the Porch” blog, has purchased a counter depth refrigerator recently. You might want to check out what she had to say. One thing she mentioned that I do remember, is that by purchasing it with the store credit card, there was a longer return window. Something I remembered since my refrigerator is my oldest appliance currently.

    Reply

  21. So many choices with refrigerators now.

    My biggest concern is to avoid the style with the freezer at the bottom. As we age, it’s not friendly to pull out the freezer section, bend your head way over and reach way in the back to turn ice machine on/off as needed.
    Pulling items out of bottom chest is challenging also.

    As a retired Insurance agent, there were so many claims from water leaks on exterior water/ice accesses on the refrigerator doors, that I knew to avoid that on our refrigerator purchases.

    Happy shopping, think age friendly and enjoy the choice selections.

    Reply

  22. Dianne, first, love, love your newsletter! It’s what I read every Sunday morning with my coffee!
    I wish you luck with the fridge search. I can’t recommend a certain brand, but I can tell you, do NOT buy a Samsung!!! I cannot express that enough. They are terrible appliances. Ours has water sitting under the vegetable and fruit drawers that freezes and ruins the produce. This is a problem they have known about for years and do nothing about. There is even a FB page for owners trying to find a fix for the problem. Sadly, I look forward to the day it has to be replaced. I would hate to see you feel the same way with a new refrigerator!!!

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  23. We have a counter depth fridge. It fits beautifully in my kitchen, but the interior is much smaller. It’s only my husband and I now so it works great for us day to day but if I host a holiday or party, its too small. I do have a second fridge/freezer that thankfully I can use. All that being said, I would buy another counter depth fridge because it works perfectly and looks great in my kitchen. Bottom line, you will pay more for a counter depth fridge and get less space.

    Reply
  24. Donna Marie says:

    You can always use stick-on lights that come on when you open the door! My sister-in-law uses them because her LED lights in the frig went out and they wanted $300 to fix them. Just a thought!!! That way you could wait until they come on sale.

    Reply